It’s a strange time to be a Once Upon a Time fan. Rumors continue to swirl about the future of the show with nothing confirmed. It does appear that if the show goes beyond season 7 it will be very different. Whether it is the series finale or not, season 6 looks like it will be the last year of the original Once Upon a Time with season 7 being a soft reboot. There haven’t been any real hints on the show to what this new direction of Once Upon a Time would look like but that can’t stop us from speculating and hoping. Here are three new directions we’d like to see Once Upon a Time explore in season 7.
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Leave Storbrooke Behind (Forever This Time)
The town of Storybrooke has become as much a character on Once Upon a Time as any of the fairytale people who populate it. The New England town that Regina created as a curse has become integral to the identity of the show. If Once Upon a Time is going to reboot the show and maybe even leave certain characters behind, it is time to say goodbye to Storybrooke.
There are multiple lands to choose from, as Once Upon a Time has introduced several throughout the years, but in season 7 it might be best to pack up and return home to the Enchanted Forest. Snow and David can rule their kingdom with their entire family by their side and everyone can have adventures. Once Upon a Time has run its course with Storybrooke-centric tales. Every season the characters get stuck within the town lines, some villain shows up to terrorize them and it all rinses and repeats. As charming as Storybrooke may be, Once Upon a Time can put the town in the rearview mirror and give everyone a fresh start like Henry gave the Evil Queen in “Page 23.”
A New Savior, a New Life
Jennifer Morrison is one of just a few rumored cast members who might return to Once Upon a Time for season 7. This seems to put the kibosh on Emma dying, which has been teased relentlessly on Once Upon a Time season 6. Morrison signing on to season 7 doesn’t necessarily negate Emma dying — it wouldn’t be the first time a character died and came back to life — but the death of Emma could be a more metaphorical one. Once Upon a Time has always been the story of Emma Swan becoming the Savior. If the show is about to start anew, it’s time for Emma to no longer have that responsibility and weight.
Whether she gives it up willingly like Aladdin did, or she dies and is relieved of the duty (only to be resurrected), it would be cool for season 7 to begin with Emma mentoring and guiding a new savior. It would give Once Upon a Time a way to start over without ignoring everything that went before it on the show. It would also give two distinct eras of the series, the first when Emma was the Savior and the second when her successor is the Savior. It could prove the perfect jumping-on (or off) point for viewers.
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The Next Generation
The most likely and most exciting possibility to me is a time jump. One of the few things we know about the season 6 finale is that Andrew J. West has been cast in a major role and will probably be a series regular in the possible season 7. While he could be that new Savior, his character description sounds a lot like a grown-up Henry. (It doesn’t hurt this theory that Andrew J. West looks like he could be related to Jared Gilmore.)
Season 6 could end with another time or memory curse like the one that was set upon the everyone in the series premiere. Henry could somehow escape this fate and Storybrooke. Stranded out in the real world, Henry could grow up alone only to return one day to Storybrooke to free his family. This is the setup for season 7 and beyond, in which a grown-up Henry must return to Storybrooke and save the day, just like he convinced Emma to do in season 1. It wouldn’t be the happiest journey for Henry but it would be a nice way to bring the series full circle.
But which of these new directions would you watch? What do you want to see happen in season 7? Should there even be a season 7? Would you watch a soft reboot of Once Upon a Time anyway or do you just want the show to stay the same?
Once Upon a Time season 6 airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like our OUAT Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
